Natural Beauty Meets Sascha's Designs = Perdy Me

I died bringing you this post. In fact I died 4 times. I scooted off to Wolfenstein because I liked the aesthetics of the sim but it turned out to be a combat location and hidden in the hills, unseen residents were playing 'shoot em ups' and I was the target. Thanks dudes! Every time I got the shot set up which took me forever, BANG I was dead and on my way home. Well I guess it serves me right for entering unarmed. The only thing I had was some very pointy and possibly deadly stiletto's but didn't fancy getting blood on them.

Anyway I managed to finally finish the shots featuring two of SL's powerhouses. That being Sascha Frangilli from Sascha's Designs and Miah McAuley from Natural Beauty. Both darlings sent me little gifties from their new range and I thought I would join forces and combine their products in the one post.

Click the pics for an eyeful.

Sascha's new gown is called Zephra and comes in Black or White. I love the chance to don one of her stunners and opted for dramatic black for this series. I added a few little pieces like the orange belt and hair piece because it's always fun to give your outfits the personal touch. Your shopping bag will be overflowing with all of the extras Sascha provides with her outfits including bolero, hat, lacy shawls to name but a few.

Miah's new Natural Beauty skin range is called Malinka and with 10 make up choices in each tone that includes light and dark brows, 2 cleavage options and brow shaper, don't say she doesn't spoil you. Likewise, Miah offers 8 skin tones from light to dark and everything in between. It's been such a pleasure to see Miah's label grow and develop. She really offers an exceptional product and given the range she has built up, has worked incredibly hard.

Until next time...be sweet.

I LAQ Nothing Today

I had a lovely little spend up at Laqroki last night. I thought I would try out the new Glow skins and I must say, I really liked them and purchased Claudia 2. I couldn't go past the hair bases designed specifically for the Glow range and of course, I had to have the LAQ hair attachments too. Then I meandered around the clothes shop and was compelled to buy the gorgeous white trench coat and boots. I must advise though that the boots do not have a resizing script so you will have to do this manually through edit. I did it and if I can, you can. The Laqroki hair attachments are stunning let me tell you. Only a small range in blond but their darker hairs are amazing and all are of excellent quality. I have sent a message to LAQ's designer, Miss Mallory Cowen, to see if she could make more hairs in blond...I ADORE THEM MALLORY.

The bag and scarf are gifts from Septem Essentials and are well worth the trip to pick them up. Septem have a fabulous range of bags and clutches so you might walk out with less money than when you walked in.

Now for these pics I used the shadow option in Viewer 2.2. I want to direct you to Dancien Graves' post in Shopping Cart Disco on tinkering with your video card graphic settings to improve SL's stability and performance. I swear since doing this, SL has never run better for me and I'm using 2.2. Thanks Dancien for sharing. I'm enjoying SL like I used to. The best thing I did was let go of Viewer 1.23. It was an anchor that was dragging me down and now that I've done a little research, it appears that it's no wonder...its becoming incompatible. I tend to stay with SL viewers rather than TPV's so it was important for me to find solutions and I have. Viewer 2.2 is the bomb for me and I couldn't be happier.

Here's the links to the designers:
Skin: Claudia 2 in Milky tone from LAQ
Hair Base and Eyebrows: Blond in Milky tone from LAQ
Hair Attachment: HB Updo #1 tone in Blond from LAQ (more more)
Eyes: Dazzling Ice Blue from LAQ
Lashes: LesMakeup Lashes from Miamai
Jacket: White Trench from LAQ
Boots: White Knee High Boots from LAQ
Leggings: Python designed by sayaaKa Boa
Bag and Scarf: Mono Dot by Septem Essentials (free gift)
Poses: exposeur (great poses)

Yes...this definitely is a LAQ look.

The Many Faces Of LionSkins LEA.

LionSkins LEA with add on's to burn.

Lion Jonesford has a new release about to hit the scene called Lea and I tell you SLifer's, it's all about the ADD-ON. Having to buy a fat pack of the same skin tones with different make ups is history. Purchasing one skin tone with add-on's is the future and Lion is taking us there in her colorful space ship at warp speed. The ability to interchange make up, eyeliner, hair etc not only with a LionSkin base, but other skins allows us even more individuality.

You select your skin by purchasing either light, red or dark brows in either Pale, Sun or Sunkiss tones of skin. Lea is available in two different looks, Teen or Adult. Then the real fun begins by selecting your favorite make up's, eyeliners, hairs, hair bases.  Knowing Lion, the selection will be mega huge and she'll be adding to her add-on's as time goes by.  Here's a little sneak peak at some of the different looks Lion gives us wearing the Lea base with her tattoo layer add-on's. This skin is all about having fun.

Above - Here I'm wearing the Lea Adult base skin in Pale with an add-on make up and her amazing add-on Head Undies. (Please note that Lion assures me she has thoroughly washed her undies before turning them into head wear).

Above - Another make up and hair base add-on.

Above - Wearing the red hair base add-on and a different make up.

Above - Are you getting the idea. The possibilities are endless.

Above - Another make up choice worn with Lion's eye liner add-on. Beautiful.

Above - This is the natural Lea base. What I adore about this range is the variety of looks one can achieve from young and funky to avant-garde and edgy.

Above - Wearing the dark hair base with dark brows. The hair bases are sensational and I love the definition of the hair line.  Lion also made the top in this picture.  It's just the most fabulous thing ever.  The left boob is actually a weapon and I'm not afraid to use it.

Here's the limo to LionSkins.  Remember, don't drink n drive.

SPOTLIGHT ON...LionSkins and introducing the soon to be released Zora.

Here is my interview with the irrepressible Lion Jonesford, skin maker extraordinaire of LionSkins.

(CC) When did you open LionSkins?

(LJ) LionSkins first opened its doors 3 years ago now.

(CC) Why skins particularly?

(LJ) I was already doing airbrush art in my first life for films, effects, and adverts etc and it inspired me to try adding these types of art to skins for people to wear.

(CC) When you opened your first shop, how many different skin lines did you have for sale?

(LJ) When LionSkins first opened, we only had one skin line called ZEE and it came in five skin tones. I started with only one skin line to see what the response would be to something so different from what was already available in world.

(CC) Were there any particular skin designers who inspired your early work?

(LJ) Yeah, after seeing all the noob style skins in the market, I was really inspired to make better quality skins available for all, especially after seeing a very glamorous lady, I knew it was possible to do.

(CC) What kind of woman wears LionSkins? Who do you market to?

(LJ) LionSkins aims for free spirits, someone who isn't afraid to be different and stand out from the crowd. There are no rules on how to wear or when to wear, with pixel makeup you can’t mess it up when you go to sleep lol.

(CC) Which skin line are you most proud of?

(LJ) My favorite skin line from the past would have to be CANA. It had a fantastic response from customers in world. Of my more current skin lines I love SUKAI. I learnt new skills and experiences in creating this. All of these new skills I have learnt are really making the work I do today much faster and of a much higher quality and so I’m really loving the newer skin lines more.

(CC) You work so hard on your skins and marketing your business. Where does your inspiration come from?

(LJ) The main reason is because I find it’s my way to have fun and express myself. I get inspired a lot from my real life experiences and surroundings and my wild lifestyle. People have described me as a kind of female Indiana Jones on a world journey. My other inspiration comes from the pressure and unfair things that have happened to me both in world and in the real world. The more people try to bring me down the more I come out fighting and I work harder.

(CC) Apart from your fabulous main store, you have a satellite store in a great location on LeeZu Baxter's 'To The Nines' sim. Given no other outside designer's share space with LeeZu, how did that come about?

(LJ) Well LeeZu was one of the first people I met in Second Life and she encouraged me when I was starting out. LeeZu was one of my very first customers, she loved my free style and after having done a few projects together we are now used to working closely. I also have had the pleasure working with other designers too for example, last year I worked with Nardya Rousselot of Nardcotix (NOIR skins) and it was really nice and uncomplicated. Also last year I made a special edition DOLLHOUSE collection for HOUSE OF BENINGBOROUGH and they did an amazing show using my skins. In fact it’s my favorite show to date. It was a perfect project between two designers. I really wish more designers could share their own experiences and work together on projects to help make SL a nicer and more fun place for all.

(CC) You have joined creative forces with Tabata Jewell's Vanity Hair label. Can you tell us more about that?

(LJ) I approached Tabata and asked would she be interested in doing a project together and being the open minded person that she is, she happily agreed. Through working together on these last projects we have become very good friends.

(CC) For people who know nothing about skin creation, what is the hardest part of the body to perfect?

(LJ) Basically a skin is made up of lots of layering of templates and consists of three parts, the head, upper part and lower part. To try and get the three parts together with all shading and effects etc without seeing the lines that join them is something that drives many people crazy. It’s extremely complicated. Another difficult part of skin making is to do the effects from the side of body. Hands and feet can be complicated as the template is so very small to get into details especially when the template only gives one hand and one foot to work on.

(CC) Which skin tone is the hardest to work with, light or dark?

(LJ) I personally find that very light skins can be the hardest to work with. It’s harder to add shading or 3D effects on very pale skins when everything looks so white and flat.

(CC) Have you got any exciting plans for LionSkins in the near future?

(LJ) We have yes. We have a contest going on at the moment which is due to end on 15th September. We are taking part in the Modeling Convention by Premiere Modeling Agency and we also have a Fashion Rocks serious of mini events and main event coming up. We also have many more fun and exciting things coming up soon but we are keeping them a surprise for now. :-)

(CC) What makes you happy in SL?

(LJ) I like meeting fair, warm, honest, hardworking people. I really enjoy collaborating with other designers too and it’s great to see what can come from it.

(CC) Is there anything you've dreamed of doing with your skins that you haven't done yet?

(LJ) There are many things I have dreamt of doing and hopefully will get to do as I grow and learn as a designer. I won't share the details now, but watch this space. :-)

(CC) Any new releases coming out soon?

(LJ) Perfect question. We have ZORA which will be released very soon, I actually stopped working on it to come and answer your questions :-) but we also have many other projects in the works but I prefer not to talk about them and just rezz them in the store.


And believe me, ZORA is the classiest skin that just pops out at you. Perfect for models who are looking for a refined skin with that extra va va voom, ZORA will have you selling your grandma for a fat pack. COMING OUT SOON....get ready. Here is just a little teaser....

ZORA Pale

ZORA Sunkiss

ZORA Sun

LionSkins Sukai Range - Like Nothing You've Ever Seen

I don't think I've been this excited to blog something in a long time. Lion Jonesford, CEO and skin designer of LionShins, has seriously pulled one out of the bag with her new Sukai range of African inspired skins. For me in RL, if you would ask me what I would love to look like if I had the choice, it would be a beautiful, African woman just like Sukai. From a little girl, I was always mesmerized by their incredible beauty and grace. Ladies and gents, this skin is INCREDIBLE.

The body is something to be seen. Shaded to perfection with just the right amount of shine, this skin is designed to be noticed but it is the face that really blasts this skin into the stratosphere. Just look at these...no PS manipulation other than blurring the edges a little as I always do. This is pure gold.

Worn with ornate lashes from BiancaF, this skin can certainly take them.

Lion describes SUKAI as a "sensual, exotic beauty capturing the essence of the African woman with the art and culture Africa is well known for". What is particularly mind blowing is the fact she has created 50 make up options for this line...yes 50. Lion used a new technique, Photo-realism which resulted in amazing detail. Just look at the forehead.

Sukai skins are available in one tone with the hair base and cleavage incorporated into the skin. There is no bald option available at this time. Also coming soon, more shapes to compliment the Sukai skin line.

Talking to Lion, it is obvious that she is passionate and loves what she does. I only hope that these skins receive the credit that they richly deserve because to me, this is art.

Again Ms Tabata Jewell and Lion have joined creative forces and Vanity Hair is selling amazing African inspired hair attachments for Sukai.

A big thank you to the lovely Nave Fall who allowed me to use the runway at The Models Workshop for these shots. Note to new or aspiring models....read this site for helpful information and support The Models Workshop.

Chalice In Wonderland: Presenting Leona Skin from Glam Affair

Why am I so slow at PS?  I would have had these out much sooner if I would quit fumbling around in there.  Regardless, I was sent the new release skins from Glam Affair (formally known as Beauty Avatar).  Love the name Glam Affair...it's frou frou me.

I really do love the skins from Ms Aida Ewing, the creator.  Lots of wonderful make ups, both vibrant and soft.  Take a look and see for yourself.  I love the shading and I'm particularly partial to the Natural tone.  Excellent, excellent job and I can see this is going to be a favorite of mine and I'm sure many others.

Don't I look gorgeous???  No don't answer that.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Shown in Natural.

Pale, Natural and Tan "The Leona"

 

Head on down to Glam Affair where a giftie awaits you.  Woo Hoo another awesome skin to wear.